Turkey discharges generals, shuts media outlets after coup: official

ANKARA — Turkey on Wednesday said it was discharging 149 generals and ordering the closure of dozens of media outlets in the next phase of its controversial crackdown in the wake of the failed coup.

Eighty-seven land army generals, 30 air force generals, and 32 admirals --a total of 149 -- were being dishonourably discharged from the military over their complicity in the coup bid, a Turkish official said, confirming a government decree published in the official gazette.

In addition, 1,099 officers and 436 junior officers have also received a dishonourable discharge, the decree added.

The discharge of the generals -- most of whom are currently under arrest -- comes a day ahead of a meeting of Turkey’s Supreme Military Council which is expected to agree one of the most radical shake-ups of the armed forces in years.

Meanwhile the closure was ordered of three news agencies, 16 television stations, 23 radio stations, 45 newspapers, 15 magazines and 29 publishers, the official gazette added.

It did not give the names of those media outlets to be closed but according to a list obtained by the CNN-Turk channel they include mainly provincial titles but also some well-known national media.

These include the Cihan news agency, the pro-Kurdish IMC TV and the opposition daily newspaper Taraf.

Also to be shut are the Zaman newspaper and its Today’s Zaman English language sister publication which, like Cihan, were part of a holding linked to the US-based preacher Fethullah Gulen until being put into state administration earlier this year. — AFP